


Let the Sunshine in

by jcrycolr3wradc



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Boulder Colorado, Evil Capitalists, Hippies, M/M, Modern AU, White dudes with dreads
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2014-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-06 20:40:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jcrycolr3wradc/pseuds/jcrycolr3wradc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I hate New York in the spring. Either too hot or too cold and there is nothing to look forward to. Luckily Thorin says our attentions are demanded in the Rockies. Of course I'm not very found of college towns either...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

 

I watch as the weak morning light illuminates his face. His hair is in complete disarray after last night. His face is relaxed and his body sprawled all over the hotel bed.

He is so beautiful.

I never thought anything beautiful before I met him. Not really, I’ve considered things ‘gentle’, or ‘pretty’, but not heart stopping like he is. He smiles and I understand. He laughs and I swear I could be a different person. We sit together and he shows me his world, dirty and dangerous, _and not good enough_ and I want to stop time so we will never have to part.

But today we will. Today I will go to my cousin and tell him everything I have learned from the past month. I will tell him where Thranduil will be, where to send our saws, how to crush his heart and make him hate me.

As the room slowly grows brighter he wakes. He blinks slowly and stretches on the bed. I trace the shapes of his ribs as he sits up.

“Good morning and namaste, Gimli.” He smiles

“Good morning Mister Greenleaf.” He laughs.

I smile back, knowing, deep in my chest, that after today _I will no longer be good enough for him_.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm very sorry this chapter took me forever and a damn day to write. Here it is though! And hopefully after this we will be able to move a snappier pace now that I have location firmly established.

 

Chapter 1

New York City,

March 25, 2013

I hate New York City in the spring. It’s both very wet and very pointless. If you spend spring anywhere it should be Massachusetts, or Virginia. Upstate is also nice, but only if you stay with family or friends. The charge on the hotels are ridiculous.

That does not mean I'm very excited to be going to a college town in the Midwest for spring either.

"Boulder Colorado." Were the first words out of Kill's mouth when we left the board meeting. “No disrespect to uncle, but if he thinks a bunch of hippies are going to simply sell their land he is more anachronistic than I thought.” Even as he spoke, Kili cast a nervous look over his shoulder, as though even speaking ill of Thorin could summon his wrath.

“Cheer up little brother. At least we get to go with him this time. And I prefer that to the paperwork left behind anyday.” Fili spoke from my left side. Kili and I nodded our agreement.

As we boarded the private elevator, reserved of course for family of the Durin clan, Kili leaned against a wall and started tugging at the windsor knot at his throat.

“Fili, isn’t your turn to get lunch?”

“No. Absolutely not. The two have you have made me foot the bill for past three times we’ve eaten. One of you has to pay this time.” Fili snapped as he drew his cigarettes and lighter from his jacket.

“Well if it’s been three times, then we’ve wrapped all the way back around to it being your turn.” Kili said, grinning charmingly. FIli shot him an unimpressed glare before Kili gave up and turned to me.

“No. You want to go out, not me. I know how to cook.” I said, crossing my arms and leaning back against the wall.

“Come on Gimli, please, I don’t want to go to lunch by myself. I’ll look like a freak!” Kili whines as we leave the elevator, walking into the hobby.

“You always look like a freak cousin.” I laugh as we walk through the glass doors into the smoggy light of the New York afternoon in the spring.

~~~

March 30th, 2013

On a plane

“Good afternoon passengers for flight 303-1. Welcome to Colorado. It is currently a sunny 52 degrees on the ground, and 11:34 pm. We should be reaching the gate in about a 20 minutes, Please turn off your electronics and place your seats and trays in the upright position. The seat belt light has come on, so please buckle up. Thank you for flying with United Airlines.” I stretched slightly as the flight attendants walked up and down the narrow aisle of first class, clearing away the empty champagne glasses, little cracker packages, and empty soda cans.

Across from me Kili took out his earbuds and put away his Ipod, while Fili groaned and started to pack away his Ipad. Thorin had tasked him with going over the contact details we would be presenting Mr. Greenwood with when we arrived at his house that afternoon. Kili and I had dodged that paperwork bullet however.

As the plane bumped back to earth and was gradually taxied in, Kili leaned around the seat to ask Thorin, “Are we staying in Denver?”

Thorin put on his sunglasses as he answered, “No, the commute would take too long for our stay. Our hotel is called the Boulderado, in the downtown.”

Kili turned back around and sent me a commiserating look. A month in a hippy town, this is exactly what we want to do in April.

~~~

Balin handles the details of our check in at the, admittedly very nice, hotel. I shouldn’t be surprised.

Every hotel Thorin goes to is ‘nice’.

I’m staring around at the art nouveau lobby when Dwalin taps me sharply.

“Back out lad.” He nods his head at Thorin, Fili and Kili who are already standing out in the street while Balin thanks thanks the receptionist.

“Aren’t we staying here?” I ask as Dwalin steers me back onto the street.

“Excellent question.” Thorin snaps. I quickly shut my mouth as we wait for Balin. We watch as he receives the keys and walks back out wearing the most satisfied grin I’ve ever seen from my cousin.

“Well?” Thorin is not as impressed as I am.

“This way cousin, to the right a bit and then a left.” Balin answers mysteriously. Fili and Kili look at me and shrug as we pile back into the rental.

In less than five minutes we are standing outside another early twentieth century house, painted eggshell, and with a neatly trimmed lawn. Balin marches up the stars with all the dignity of his age and using the keys from the hotel, opens the house.

I can feel my jaw drop as he smiles smugly again.

“You tell me to choose suitable accommodations for this month, Thorin. And I decided I am too old to be sleeping on a hotel bed for thirty nights anymore. So welcome to the Pine Street guest house, lads.” Balin winks at the three of us, as Dwalin tries not to smile at his brother and Thorin’s frown increases. Finally he sighed inaudibly and walks in.

Kili and I shoot each other excited smiles as Fili tries to hide his.

Rooms are quickly doled out and explored, Dwalin and Balin in the twin suit on the first floor while Thorin takes the queen suit that connects to it. Fili and Kili immediately jump on the second floor suit that has a ‘secret’ staircase, that everyone can see. I take the remaining room, the smallest suit remaining on the ground floor.

I stuff the suitcase at the end of the bed and poke around. Balin has never rented us an entire house before. Although usually we don’t stay for a month. The longest I can ever remember father staying away for was a week. Thorin seems to think Mr. Greenleaf will be troublesome for us. I snort as I hear Fili and Kili clomping around upstairs.

Thorin has been the top CEO from Harvard Business Review since 2007. I highly doubt anyone has the power to say no to him anymore.

I look at my reflection as I poke around in the bathroom. I look like the rest of the men in my family, lots of forehead, perpetual stubble and hair that is more trouble than its worth to cut every two weeks, leading us all to have old fashioned tied back hair. The only major differences are in my chin, stronger than Kili’s or Balin’s, more like Thorin’s or my fathers. My nose is all from mother’s side though. Right now I look like a mess from airplane travel and transportation. Bags under my eyes, mussed hair, my shaving blotchy and uneven. As I retrieve my razor and sniff cautiously at the soap I wonder about our mysterious seller.

Balin has not said much, other than that Mr. Greenwood has owned the land for years and is unwilling to sell for any amount.

That is why Thorin is here, and why Fili, Kili and myself are along to observe. Thorin could sell a life insurance policy to Death himself and we, as the future of the company, should be honored to watch him work.

Rinsing my face clean, I shake my head and sigh. Thorin will close the deal tonight or tomorrow and we will all be back in New York by friday.

Shame. The house is lovely.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Balin has classy taste. The Pine Street House is a real place. As is the Boulderado. Ah, the benefits of actually living close to a place you are writing about.

**Author's Note:**

> So the elves are poor hippies living in the woods and the dwarves are corrupt business men living in New York and Gimli is caught in the middle of it all. (Yes, yes I finally I'm getting around to it)


End file.
